Saturday in the greenhouse

Nights are cooling. The forest floor holds the chill through the morning hours and reluctantly releases it in the afternoon. There’s a crisp edge as we cycle through the shade of the trees, even on warm sunny days.

The last of the blackberries cling to the vines, but it is time for a pre-fall cleanup. That means taking summer storage out of the greenhouse.

Our teens chopped through the blackberries that had crept through the greenhouse foundations. They scrubbed moss and dust off the glass, and stacked pots, lights, and irrigation supplies. They took a break to treat eyes and tastebuds at Coffee Fest downtown. When they came home, we sorted rubbish from useful items before putting things back.

Jet City pizza delivered supper to our two hungry students. “I’m tired, but very satisfied with our work today,” said B. “I’m proud of what we got done.”

And I’m proud of them and young people like them who do hard manual work and achieve good results. They’ve gained another practical skill, learning to do necessary work in its season. I love to visit professional greenhouses with their pristine windows and swept floors. Someone does the dirty work there, too.

It may be a well-known destination, but I enjoy going to Molbaks in Woodinville. What’s your favorite nursery / greenhouse in greater Seattle?